TMC appeals to Left, Congress to support Mamata in fight against BJP

The Trinamool Congress onWednesday appealed to the Left Front and the Congress to backWest Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in her fightagainst the ''communal and divisive'' politics of the BJP.

Elections to the 294-member state assembly are due inApril-May.

''If the Left Front and the Congress are genuinelyanti-BJP, they should be behind Mamata Banerjee in her fightagainst the communal and divisive politics of the saffronparty,'' senior TMC MP Sougata Roy told reporters.

TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee is the ''real face ofsecular politics against the BJP'', he said.

Roy claimed that none of the schemes launched by theBJP-led government at the Centre has worked successfully.

''The TMC's narrative is of constructive criticism inthe interests of development,'' he said.

Referring to cattle-smuggling that has kicked up apolitical storm in poll-bound West Bengal, Roy said it is theduty of the Border Security Force (BSF) and not the statepolice to prevent this.

''The BSF, which is under the central government, looksafter the borders of the country. It is their duty and notthat of the police to prevent cross-border smuggling ofcattle,'' the TMC MP said.

Launching a stinging attack against Union Home AmitShah, who had visited the state last month, the seniorlawmaker said, ''Instead of having lunch at different places,he should have visited the border to check whether the BSF isdoing its job properly or not.'' Responding to a query whether BJP state chief DilipGhosh will be the saffron party's chief ministerial candidatefor the elections, he said it is an internal matter of theBJP.

''Diamond Harbour MP and TMC youth wing chief AbhishekBanerjee has a much greater political experience than Ghosh,who has joined politics only in 2015, but even he neverclaimed to be the CM face of the TMC,'' he added.